"I take the best spiritual writing to be prose or poetry that addresses, in a manner both profound and beautiful, the workings of the soul," writes editor Philip Zaleski, senior editor of Parabola magazine and author of Gifts of the Spirit. In her introductory essay, Patricia Hampl (Virgin Time) expands this purview with "spiritual writing is about the human longing for all that God can mean."
It is salutary to see that this premier anthology of spiritual writing includes under its broad and hospitable tent creative pieces by nature, travel, and science writers, in addition to those by writers usually associated with this genre. The material comes from 23 different publications and takes the form of 29 prose essays and 9 poems. Many of our favorite writers are included here such as Terry Tempest Williams on the spiritual practices of wonder and listening, David Steindl-Rast on prayer, Rodger Kamenetz on meditative practice, Thomas Moore on natural spirituality, Joseph Bruchac on the spirit of indigenous peoples, Rick Bass on a mission of ecological mercy, Gretel Ehrlich on the power of light and darkness, and Natalie Goldberg on the playful Zen spirit.
The spiritual renaissance of our time is rich with resources for both traditional believers and for seekers. And this anthology is a good place to meet great writers. Hats off to Zaleski for a good idea well executed!